Mayor Halsema visits ‘new urban area’ Weesp: “Hope they like to be part of us”
Future new ‘urban area’ Weesp received a visit from mayor Femke Halsema today. She spoke with future Amsterdammers during a special election event in the Sint-Laurenskerk. The large church in the center of the city that will soon belong to the municipality of Amsterdam.
On March 24, Weesp will be part of Amsterdam. “I am that Amsterdam can be proud of it and I hope that Weesp is proud of its identity and that it likes to belong to us,” said Halsema. “We are also actively proud that Weesp wants to expand to Amsterdam.”
The current mayor of Weesp, Bas Jan van Bochove, flanked Halsema during her visit to the Sint-Laurenskerk. The month of his tenure has now arrived. “Mrs Halsema will not steal my job, you know, because the municipality of Weesp will cease to exist,” he explains. “I’m definitely mayor, so I knew from day one that it could be over soon. Well, it took quite a while. Almost eight years.”
Gooie Lakes
The run-up to the collaboration between Weesp and the city on the Vecht varies considerably. The inhabitants were given the choice of whether they would like to belong to Amsterdam or to the municipality of Gooise Meren. It was voted in favor by a small majority. 42.6% of the Weespers did not want to become part of the municipality of Amsterdam at all.
A resident of Weesp in the Sint-Laurenskerk indicates that he is not in favor either. “Honestly, I voted for Gooise Meren, because I think it suits Weesp better in terms of feeling and culture,” she looks back. “I also lived in Amsterdam for ten years and left the city because I thought it was too busy, too big and too much. I have enjoyed living in Weesp in the center for 27 years and now I live in Amsterdam again .”
own identity
The Amsterdam mayor wants it to be clear to this significant group of Weespers that their city will reap the benefits of the merger. “I think in future years we should be able to maintain its own identity, it is a unique area with its greenery and historic buildings,” says Halsema. “At the same time that it has a level of facilities that is also good. That it is safe, with sufficient education and sufficient institutions for people in need.”